


Just Go Along With It

by susiephalange



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Based on a Tumblr Post, Books, Cars, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Confessions, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dating, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Fist Fights, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, House Party, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Libraries, Loki Does What He Wants, Multi, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Phone Calls & Telephones, Pietro Maximoff Lives, Pietro has ADHD, Swearing, Tension, Thor Is Not Stupid, Vandalism, gender neutral!reader
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-05
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2018-08-13 06:59:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 15,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7966939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/susiephalange/pseuds/susiephalange
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>University is a time for exploring, and understanding who you are as a person, your friends and ideas. Your university life is a time for figuring out why your boyfriend has been acting so weird, who's been targeting your property for vandalism, and trying to wrap your head around a sudden uni student gang war you're in the middle of. </p><p>And it's only eight thirty.</p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <i>"Okay, so normally I hate au's just bc I like my Loki to have a little magic, but holy fuck if you didn't execute this perfectly. The parallels between the reality of Marvel and this are perfect. A++, gold star, 10/10 would recommend"</i>
    <br/>
    <b>user <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Society_Killed_My_Inspiration/pseuds/Society_Killed_My_Inspiration">@Society_Killed_My_Inspiration</a></b>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote>
            </blockquote>





	1. Just Go Along With It

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Readers! It's great to see you drop by. This is my first multi-chapter story since that absolutely terrible Dean Winchester fic I want to bleach from my memory. Anyways. Hope you stick around to see how this one pans out!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and your boyfriend Thor had agreed to go on a date...but it seems you've been stood up.

There should be a limit to how many times one checks their phone whilst waiting for a date. More specifically, there should be a limit to how many times boyfriends can skip out on date night due to the fact their frat mates called it Halo night. Specifically, your boyfriend. As usual, you've arrived early for the date, gotten the table reserved for Thor Odinson, waited for Thor Odinson, and now, every five minutes, the waitress checks up on you with doe eyes, sad eyes, as if to simultaneously say _are you sure a Thor Odinson exists?_ and _sucks for them._

You don't want sympathy tonight.

Tonight, you were going to make it your night. It was always about his achievements - and now you wanted to tell him yours. You wanted to tell him you'd just gotten your dorm sorted out for uni, were up for a promotion at the little bakery you slaved away half your waking hours at, _and_ got ninety eight in one of the early exams.

It wasn't like today was a big night or anything.

It was just...Thor and you never talked that much anymore. He was so busy having fun with his new-found friends on the university's football team ( _Go_ _The Warriors_!) to speak with you.

"Since he isn't coming, how about dinner on the house?" the server asks you. Her voice is dripping with sorrow for you. She's probably been in your position too. Statistically speaking, many have.

It's then the door to the quaint little restaurant slams open, and a lithe figure darts inside. Your heart stops - is it him? Did Thor _actually_ separate himself from those people who had turned a gracious man into a bullheaded one? Did he remember?

No.

He did not.

"Sorry I'm late, babe," the man seats himself before you, running a hand through his messy hair, tying it into a loose bun. You've never seen him before in your life. "Traffic's crazy this hour, forgive me," he ad-libs, and looks to the waitress, who gives him the largest look of scorn, "We'll be ready to order in just a moment."

You're dead silent, watching this man with reluctant curiosity. Do you know him? Does he know you? What kind of crazy, long-haired, two piece suit wearing man rushes in to save a broken relationship?

Apparently, this one.

"...I'm Loki," he whispers to you over the menu, "Thor's my brother. I'm sure he never told you about me. Just go along with it, okay?"

So you do.

"So, bucko, what'll it be? A serving of disappointment with a hint of well deserved break up?" A different waitress asks, siding up to the table. Her jaw is set, ready to fight tooth and nail for your honor. It's lovely to think she'll do it, but this isn't Thor. He needs that speech, not his supposed brother.

Loki takes a deep breath. "I was actually wondering if there were any vegetarian agnolotti remaining?" he cooly replies, "As for my reason why I was late, I was kept back at the office," he reads the waitress' badge, "Helena."

Helena cocks her head, chewing on her lip, "There's agnolotti, yeah, but are there any feelings in your cold heart? What kind of guy leaves his date waiting for nearly an _hour_? And because of work? If you're married to your job, don't have a significant other!"

You feel your neck heat up with the fires of embarrassment. The flames of fear. You hoped they'd swallow you up, just to get you away from this situation. Gods, this Loki was only being nice actually being here, and now, everyone's defending you like an estranged wolf pup to a foreign pack.

"It's okay, I don't want to start anything," you tell her quietly.

Everyone in the restaurant seems to have decided your table is the evening entertainment - even the soprano playing violin on the little stage has paused to listen in.

"Don't worry about it, hon," Helena shrugs your words away. "But pray tell, flyboy."

"I'm a volunteer for a halfway home for troubled teenagers," Loki replies slowly, "And there was a mishap at the main building. I texted _______ I would be late, but it seems I've been accidentally texting my mother's old mobile that message since seven o'clock." he says. "So, I'll be having the vegetarian agnolotti, _______?"

You take a deep breath, "I'll have the, uh, same. Thanks. And water."

Helena nods, scribbling it on her pad. "You're lucky you have a decent excuse, dude," she says without looking up, "But your date eats free tonight."

 

 

 

 

The night flies by easily after that moment, with the attention of all the restaurant goers ebbing away every passing minute. Helena's true to her word, and pays for your portion of the pasta, which you're both grateful for and deeply ashamed by. You can't help but wonder how the night would have gone if Thor had come as he promised - talk of his life, his achievements, his father's company's great name...and if there were time, for you. The trophy lover he seemed too uncomfortable to show off to his family. Well, at least his family have heard of you. There's evidence of that before you.

Afterward, Loki is resolute on walking you to your dorm on the campus, but you don't want to go back yet - not when the world smells of fresh rain and the stars are out for once in this city. It's warm enough to go without holding hands, but you can't help but slip your hands into Loki's. He's not domineering like his brother, he's quiet, he's _there_.

"Could we just stay here for a while?" you ask him.

Loki agrees, and leads the walking toward a nearby park, where he found a bench with a glorious view of the park fountain's night lights. It's so perfect. So wonderful.

So why are you crying?

"Did I do something wrong?" Loki wonders, and you can't help but cry harder. "Gods, I did. I'm so sorry. I overheard Thor yesterday on the phone to his friends about your date, and how he couldn't make either event because of his make up test. Or something. I'm not an eavesdropper," he adds, a blush taking his milky face by storm. "Even if I am, I'm more than half glad I did because you'd've been eating alone."

You nod.

Through your tears, you see Loki's hands quake in movement, unsure of whether to grasp your knee or not for comfort.

"Does - does this happen a lot with Thor?" Loki's voice is barely more than a whisper.

You're afraid to answer. 

"My brother is the type of man to have it all, yet not understand what he has collected in front of him," Loki tells you quietly. "He believes he can play the roles of the good son, the beloved brother, trustworthy lover; the star student, yet he can't balance them." Your breath turns to hiccups, and trying to not seem puerile, grabbed Loki's hand. "He doesn't deserve you." He set his jaw.

"He mightn't, but I do," you whisper, shaking your head. "I'm sure it's just a rough patch he's going through. It's only been like this since school started again -," you pause to take a breath, "It'll get better."

_You hope._

"The night's lovely, though," Loki diverts the conversation, and points to the midnight sky that blanketed the world. "There's the first star of the night."

You frown. "Isn't that an airplane?" You wonder.

Loki chuckles. "So it is."

 

 

 

  
  
"...so, he totally blew you off again?" Your friend, Virginia huffs. "If I wasn't so wrapped up in the Stark apprenticeship program, I'd come down to your city and kick his ass. You know what, I'd kick his ass _twice_ , while still wearing these stupid mini-heels."

You wipe away your tears with a little smile at Virginia Potts' repertoire.

Loki had delivered you home to your dorm without a trouble not too soon after crying in front of him, and promised to keep an eye out for you. What did that mean?

"Gin," you laugh, "you're 5"4, and Thor's defiantly taller than 6"6. Pure muscle. There's no way you could take him on."

She huffed. "Maybe if I took him off guard..." She schemes, and hypothesizes, "Okay, scenario. Thor's sleeping, and we tie him up to a tree and keep him there until he admits he's a downright douche. There'll be duct tape and ropes and we can shave off that weird beard of his. Make it into mutton chops or something ugly."

You think about it, skeptically. "Sounds good, but how would you make him stay asleep for it though?"

Virginia snorts. "You got me there, genius," she sighs. "Bruce would know. I can't believe you don't know him, you were in homeroom together for four years of high school! You haven't met up with him yet?"

"I'm a nurse, as in _medicine_ , in training," you remind her. "And from what you keep telling me about this Bruce Banner, he's a biochem slash physics prodigy. Not my kind of lab." You pause, and add an afterthought, "I did make a new friend, though."

You hear her line crackle. "Loki Laufeyson, right? Date saver. You already said! You said he looked like - oh Saint Nick, I gotta go. It's twenty to eleven and I have to be up early to get my pretentious new boss his coffee tomorrow."

"You'll warm up to Anthony Stark, I'm sure." You hum. "Talk tomorrow?"

Virginia's eye roll could practically be heard through the the phone. "Me and Tony Stark, friends? That'll happen when something freezes over. Can't wait to hear from you tomorrow!"

The phone clicks, and yet again, you're left without someone. As much as a single room meant less rent, living on campus in a little room was more than lonely. You'd hoped Thor would have come back with you and he would have -

 _Forget about that_ , your subconscious tells you, _get to sleep. Don't stick with thoughts that just hurt._  
  



	2. Break Ups and Breakdowns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise through the window and phone call heralds the start of the best worst day Reader has ever had in their life. Maybe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live for angst, drama and plot twists.

The day began with a broken alarm clock, a smashed window, and a rock no bigger than a fist reading the word _homewrecker_ in chalk. It landed on your bed, broke your REM cycle, and kept your mind alert, shocked to the land of the living and the breathing and breaking, and bringing you from the land of dreams.

"How am I going to explain this?" You run your hands through your bed hair, and glancing to the dented clock, gasp. "Crap, I'm late!" You hiss.

Halfway through slipping jeans on, the phone on the floor began frantically buzzing - was it _really_ such a good idea to have the Mario Cart theme as a ringtone in a moment like this? - with the unknown, quite unfamiliar number showing up on the tiny screen.

"H-hello?" You manage to grab it just in time, and breathlessly answer, "______ ________."

"_______?" A familiar, rumbling tone questioned, firm and present in the air like a foghorn through mist. _Thor_. "- don't hang up, I've got to tell you something -,"

"Why would _I_ hang up on _you_ , when it was  _you_ skipped the date last night?" You shot back, slipping a fresh shirt on. "We haven't spoken properly face to face in honest to God weeks, you make no attempt to even drop by to say hi or anything? Oh my g- you're so bullheaded, and stupid Thor, and - lost your phone? Who's is this?"

"________ -," he starts, but you continue on.

"What kind of _excuse_ is that? That's my name, you jock!" You're fighting to keep tears in, fighting to keep walking yourself out toward your seminar, and sound half angry all the while rather than a mess you feel bubbling up from within. "Tell me, Thor, what are you playing at?"

Thor sighs, and almost too quietly to hear properly. You're sure he whispers this, because all it sounds like to an untrained ear is a breath. "I think we should take a break."

Your heart stops.

But your roll hasn't.

"Well, you know what I think?" You huff, all but not running down the hallway of your building, "I'm freaking late to class. You're very most likely confused. At least one of you knows how to treat me like a decent freaking human being."

And with that, you hang up. 

 

 

 

It isn't until two thirty that day that you finally slow down enough to process that your long time boyfriend (two years seems like eons to you)  - Thor Odinson - doesn't love you anymore. Or wants to take a break? What is this, _F. R. I. E. N. D. S._? It's also at two thirty at which you collide with another student, sending their books flying. And thusly, you and this sandy haired guy in a purple muscle tee reading _Even I'd Hit This_ with an archery symbol end up on the floor.

"Aw, books," he moans. 

"I swear I was paying attention," you murmur, helping the boy gather papers that seem to have exploded from his folders. With a glance, you look to him, and can't help but gasp. "Shit - shit, you're him! Clint Barton, right?"

His smile widens into a crooked crescent, crinkling his light eyes. "That's me," he beams. "I'd ask if we used to be friends, but I'm sure I'd remember you."

You blush. "No, no, I just - you're the archery champion of my old district - my art class made you that terrible banner that they hung up for the state championships a couple of years ago." You gush. "That, and yeah, I am a fan. You're practically an Olympian."

"Don't inflate his ego _that_ much." You sit straighter, and glance up to hear where the almost bored drawl is coming from. She's slightly taller than you, and has hair that sits like flames wildly on her shoulders and a bemused smirk. "So, you must be the _____ _________ I've heard about. Clint, be a sweetie and help them up."

Clint sighed, and lent you a hand. "Sorry."

Dusting yourself off, you eye the girl warily. Equally, she eyes you as well, and without blinking, blows a blue bubblegum bubble.

"How'd you know my name?" You implore.

She shrugs. "I know everyone's name, it's not a big a deal. I also know you're dating the football captain, Thor Odinson, studying to become a nurse, prefer to be around puppies than people, and this morning had a rock thrown through your window."

You blink.

"Nat's family are cops," Clint explains hurriedly, dusting his scuffed knees off, "she's into background checks."

"Of everyone?" You frown. She does have that suspicious glint in her eyes like someone who doesn't trust anyone, not even her own reflection over the bathroom sink. "Not weird at all. Wait. If you know about the rock, do you know who threw it?"

"Nope, sorry." Nat pops the _p_ , and shakes her head. "But I do know you're looking for someone to vent to. And that you're not that great at making friends." She notes.

"- what she means is, why don't you come and sit with us?" Clint interrupts, shooting a glare at Nat when he's sure you can't see. Does this sort of thing happen a lot for the pair of them? "If you want to."

You do want to. You could do. You don't have anything on for the moment, and you're feeling in the mood to be inert from the rush of university life. But instead of saying your affirmation, you blurt out, "You wouldn't happen to know a Bruce Banner, would you? He's a biochem major and my friend Virginia P -,"

"Boy, you're really into campus-famous people," Nat comments dryly. But she's not glaring anymore, her lip is pulled up in a smirk. "Sure, we know him. Want to meet him?"

Your face flushed scarlet.

"Sure! Let's go, _Natasha,_ _______." Clint grits. As you three are walking away, you're not sure if Clint hisses under his breath to Nat, " _you know, you don't have to act so freaking broody all the time_."

"Wow." The word comes out before you can help it, but it is defiantly wow.

You're on a green lawn that you hadn't ever seen before - which is granted, since your seminar building and accommodation is on the complete other side of campus - that is scattered with park benches and picnic blankets, textbooks opened and eyes closed to soak up the sun. And glancing down at your phone, you know it's great. There's free wifi. It's utopia to any concrete-accustomed person.

"Yep," Nat agrees, and waves to a brunette on a blanket weaving a crown of flowers. "Our group is there. Yo, Wanda!"

The group Nat flags to is modestly massive. There's a couple of muscled guys who are watching something on a MacBook and sharing a pair of headphones, a young woman in deep conversation with a curly haired young man, and a guy who, even if you didn't have your so far minimal medical training to recognise it, is hands down ADHD, and fidgets with a malleable stress ball and at the same time, is reading a thick book.

"Squad," Nat grabs their attention. "_______. _______, Squad."

Clint points them out, rolling his eyes at Nat's curt introduction to their crowd. "That's Steven, and Bucky, and Helen and Bruce and these are the twins, Pietro and Wanda. So yeah."

The blonde man passes the device, tiny in his hands to Bucky. "Please, never call me Steven. It's Steve, or for all I care, Captain or whatever." He protests to Clint. "Pleasure to meet you."

"So, ________, what brings you to our midst?" Pietro wonders, placing his book down, the stress-ball placed between the pages as a bookmark,"Do you know Nat and Clint? Old friends, family friends, new friends, friends who've graduated to family?"

You laugh, a mix of moderate surprise at his machine-gun fire pace of wording, "No, not really any of those. I literally just bumped into them."

Wanda giggles, and places her own daisy diadem she had been threading on her brother's pale-haired head. "I bet you're the one who that Loki guy went out with, aren't you?"

Nat glances to you. Helen pauses her convention, and Bruce adjusts his glasses to sit further up his nose. A blush mottles your neck. "We - he came to me. A misunderstanding and a great favour of his. It was just dinner. I'm in a relationship with his brother, Thor. Or, I think I am. I'm not sure."

Clint smirks. "That rhymes. Thor. Ha ha."

Helen ignores his quip, and gestures to the empty space beside her, "Why don't you sit? What are you majoring in?"

"Nursing," you tell them.

Soon, you learn many things. That Steve is an art major, and Bucky doesn't speak unless he's moved by divine intervention to, and studying mechatronics engineering. And, that they're one step away from being an item. Helen and Bruce are working toward something very science-y and nearly relevant to the future of your field. Pietro does indeed have ADHD, has memorised sporting facts from the last seventy years, and is majoring in linguistics and his sister is a psychometric psychic working toward a political science major. And, two other friends are not present - an athlete and birdwatcher named Sam, working to be a psychiatric nurse, and, according to Wanda, 'a zen master nicknamed Vision' who's basically a human computer with all his hacking knowledge and microelectronic master's degree-soon-to-be-PhD.

It would seem you'd found friends. _Finally_.

It wasn't until Bucky grunted that he had a study meet up to swap notes at at four o'clock that you remember what drove you to find such great new friends.

"I should really get back and clean up that window," you confess to Helen, who for the last hour has told you of her soon-to-be a reality machine to create instantaneous skin growth, which, quite honestly, you'd rather hear more about than play in broken glass.

"Why don't you crash in our dorm tonight?" Bruce suggests, his eyes lighting up like a skyscraper after dark.  "I'm sure my roommates wouldn't mind. The spare bed's kinda comfy."

Wanda frowns, "I'm not sure that's a good idea..." She murmurs, playing with her sleeve. "You said _home-wrecker_ was written on the rock? Maybe staying at another person's room will only add more fuel the fires."

You toss up your options. Postponing your responsibilities and to not be proactive and clean up the mess, or have potentially the best sleepover ever. But in the split second your mind takes to contemplate, it seems that's when a football is launched right at you - and with precise aim, smacks the back of your neck.

"Who threw this?" Steve demands, leaping up like he's ready to fight.

You rub the sore spot slowly. Ready to get in with the verbal backlash assaulting you comes with, you turn. But words fail you. Mainly because Thor's standing in range and in the direction of where the football came from, and is flanked by his friends and fellow team members of the team, Volstagg, Hogun, Fandral and Sif.

"C'mon, whoever threw this wanted to hit _______, so own up. You already had enough guts to throw it in the first place." Steve continues.

"We have no quarrel with you," Thor announces.

"Tell that to your egg ball," Clint gripes.

It's silent for a moment, and quietly, Thor's clique approaches the picnic blanket like a slow-motion clip from a rap video. As surrounded you are by Nat and Clint's group, it's unnervingly reminding you that it's like a gang war of some sort, and you're the double agent. Or a stowaway hiding in their midst.

"Did you, or did you not, _______ ________," Fandral breaks the silence, "Sleep with Loki last night?"

"No! What the heck, no, I didn't!" You gasp.

Hogan raises an eyebrow. "How can we trust just your word?"

"All he did was come to the date, instead of you, Thor," you tell the blonde, "and then he walked me home, and that's it! I _swear_!" You feel a panic rise under your chest and bubble in your skin. "And, I have an proof, I was talking to Virginia last night."

Thor blinks. You know he knows who Virginia Potts is. The three of you used to go on group dates with someone you'd find at the drop of a hat.

"Are you sure?" He levels. "I'm not joking. I've heard stories -,"

"They're _lies_!" You cry out. "What is with you, Thor? Months of ignoring me, and then suddenly you pull the cheating card? You're the one who's more likely to be cheating than me! Look, all Loki did -,"

"Thor, this is no way to treat your partner, in public, too," a calm voice interrupts your heated rant. "I second their statement; it was only dinner and the walk to their dorm. They are no home-wrecker, as much as you are no ballerina."

Helen leans to whisper in your ear. "What's going on here?"

You shake your head slightly, nearly flabbergasted by the scene before you. "These guys," you gesture to Thor's pack, "Are spreading lies about me, nobody believes me except for Loki."

"I believe you," Helen confides.

"Thank you." your smile is wan, but the soaring feeling in your chest isn't. Just then, you see Nat make a fist, and you add louder, "but as much as I want to stick up for myself, I'm going to clean up the broken-ass glass over my floor. Don't fight because of our private life." You gather your things.

"Don't leave on his behalf," Bucky huffs, rolling up a sleeve to reveal a prosthetic, "I'll fight him."

"Me too." Pietro pipes up. "Right here, right now. Let's go, beefy blonde man."

"_______ -," Loki starts.

You shake your head. "Nobody fight on my behalf. Please. It's not that big of a deal."

You want to look up and see Thor, see his beautiful eyes, see what he's thinking; because it must be something he believes validates his actions. The pair of you spent the best of two years crazy in love - what has changed his mind? What sun has he spied that blinds him of your constellation beauty? You wonder if he will feel remorse for calling you names, but you know he won't. Deep inside. He's _The Mighty Thor!_ a sporting hero, a single-minded man. A strong man. He will make a good lawyer one day, just like his father.

It's then, in a dangerously low whisper, you proclaim, "If you want a break, so bad, then here it is, Thor." Your voice doesn't quiver. Your head is high. Your pulse is steady. Your eyes meet his. "I'm breaking up with you. And that's final."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn't I tell you I live for angst, drama and plot twists?


	3. Several Athletes Vow To Avenge You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Instead of facing the consequences, you run off to find solitude.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a later update than usual! I had my wisdom teeth pulled out on Monday, and I'm still kind of out of it.

Instead of marching to bed and your Netflix subscription with an un-watched season of _Orange is the New Black_ ready to go and a chocolate stash to binge large enough to impress a Roald Dahl character (after cleaning the ungodly mess of course), you find yourself somewhere much different.

Somewhere which is _defiantly_ not your room.

The campus library is a large place, with stained glass windows depicting historical scenes from history, shelves higher than your expectations in men, and a silence that rings in your ears that you crave after the debut Thor displayed to your new-found friends. It isn't swimming with people; after running inside, all you've seen are two girls whispering between the political history section and astronomy section, and a librarian who quietly introduced herself as Ms Friday.

For this you're glad. If there were masses of people, you're sure that was no way for sure of you getting away with rushing to the fiction side of the floor to ceiling shelves to scale the ladder.

"Could you grab _The Great Gatsby_ while you're up there?"

You jump what seems a mile and clutch the ladder for dear life. Glancing down, you internally cuss and dance all at once. It's Loki - and today, his eyes are wide and earnest.

"Oh," you hiss, gripping the ladder. "You scared me!" You accuse him.

Loki nods. "I guess I have an unconscious flair for the dramatic."

Trying to get your footing once more, you nod. "You think?" You wonder, and spotting the book you wanted, asked softly, "Loki, why are you here?"

He gestures to the shelves. "I fancied to spend my time off reading, so I came here. It so happens you lead the way after my idiot brother hurt your feelings." Loki blinks, and takes the hint you're dropping. "You don't want me here? I can go if you want."

You reach up and snatch the requested book from the placement.

"It's not that. I just wanted time to fume." you reveal, and drop the book into his arms. "It's not everyday my boyfriend decides to ignore me for nearly three months and out of the blue call me out on sleeping around. It's not like that happens a lot. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've never even been with anyone!" you gush.

"Shhh," Ms Friday cautioned, peering over a shelf to intervene. "It's a library, not a theater."

Loki and you still.

The library seems ever so deadly silent, as if everyone who's dwelling in it has caught their breath to hear more about your messy life.

"Did I honestly just admit that to you?" you whisper.

He nods. You can't tell from this height if he's judging, or sad, or maybe even finding what you just said to him amusing. Hesitatingly, you retreat the ladder to Loki, dreading what could come next. Ridicule. Unlimited questions.

"Don't apologise," Loki lays a hand on your fingers, on the hand that's empty of a book _you_ began searching for in the first place. "I understand the difficulties of relationships ... and relationships with my brother. It's no fact to be ashamed of, _______."

You quietly chuckle, and not as if Loki had just told the joke of the year. "Tell that to society," you huff, hugging your chest. All you wanted was a good read, and now your life seems like it's the half a minute epilogue after an episode of _F. R. I. E. N. D. S.,_ where its unbelievably awkward and in your opinion, needed to end half a minute earlier. "Why are you here, Loki?"

He lifts his copy of _The Great Gatsby_ in gesticulation _._ "To read -,"

You cut him off, and gently shove him to the book shelf which houses the _How to Fold Origami_ series. "Why are you really here for? Why did you appear at my date? Why are you so ... so ... freaking charming? Why have you suddenly appeared and made my life -,"

His voice is low. It's slow, it's almost commandeering you with his exotic words. "I'm completely taken by you, _______. Ever since my brother slipped his tongue and told Mother and Father of a romantic partner, I was captivated by the story of you. I'm a politics major, and you're a nurse to-be. My brother is a legacy law student ... we all can't be any more different from each other," Loki confesses, breathe hot in your earnest ear.

"And?" you prompt.

"And I think we've both learned that he doesn't care for you. I - I care to learn you, to know you. You're a puzzle I want to solve."

 _Not if I solve you first,_ you think.

You take a deep breath, and levelly, push, "Thor didn't want to bring me to your family for a reason. Why?"

Loki sighs. "Thor's brought many women home to our parents over the years," he explains. "Bringing you would only further Father's disappointment in Thor's ... _extracurriculars_ in life." Loki's eyes turn sad, and he utters, "I don't believe Thor loved you."

Your fingers uncurl from his jacket, and retreat limply to your sides. "You're - you're lying," you accuse. "You just want me to piss your brother off, just like kids do."

"I don't -,"

"I can tell!" You interrupt, voice low. "You're the jealous brother who couldn't have something the other boy could have. So you're catching the balloon before it pops! Being my parachute won't win me, Odinson." You caution.

He's silent for a moment. "I never intended to steal you," he barely breathes his words. "I made your date less embarrassing. I stuck up for you, to my brother. I'm here. I care."

It's then the small drips rolling down your cheeks become apparent to you, and swiping your tears away, you try your best to stay calm.

It's been such a crazy day already, and it's not too far from midday.

You sigh. "I'm a mess. Let's start this again," you suggest.

He clears his throat. "Good idea."

You take a pause, and then it all comes forth.

"My name is ______ _______. I'm recently single, and by that, I mean from within the last half hour. I like helping people, which is mainly why I'm studying nursing, and binge watching TV shows that spanned over ten years in under two months, and when I'm not busy, watching animal clips on YouTube." At this, you finally look to Loki's bright green eyes. "Your turn, Lo."

A tangerine tinge touches his cheeks. "I'm Loki, Loki Odinson. My parents Odin and Frigga Odinson are alumni here, and I'm the first in my family to do politics. I'd be a nature photographer if I had a camera, I have a thing for pretty (h/c) people, and I never stray too far from a book." He introduces, and holds out a hand to you, to shake. "Do you want to be my friend?"

You slip your hand into his. "I do."

"...what in Carter are you two doing?" Clint Barton hisses.

You whirl around to see him, Nat, a blonde girl, an unshaven boy, and a one-eyed lecturer you'd seen around campus standing there, looking like they'd just seen something very strange.

"I didn't know they allowed Ms Friday to officiate marriages in the library," the unshaven boy comments with a British twang. "What do you think, Bob, maybe you and I should -,"

"Shut _up_ , Lance." The blonde insists.

"I got a tip from my track stars Ms Romanoff and Mr Barton that you needed help with an undesirable?" The one-eyed man asks you dryly.

"No!" You protect Loki immediately, denying any harassment. Because, there was none. "No, I'm fine. Loki's fine. It's okay." You tell him quickly, and then add, "Sir."

He chuckles. He doesn't seem like the kind of man who chuckles, but it seems he has for you. "No need to call me sir, _______. Coach Fury with suffice." He nods to Loki. "I got my eye on you," he mutters, and leaves his four athletes to make a dramatic exit.

"Is he often that stiff?" Loki questions Nat.

She shrugs. "Only to people he's unsure about."

"Of course, we've never met, so let me introduce ourselves, we're -,"

The blonde girl interrupts the boy called Lance. "I'm Bobbi, he's Lance. You already know Clint and Nat already, apparently. We all do track. Long distance." She beams. "We have positions open since Ward left us for the rival university."

Nat makes an angry noise at the mention of Ward's name.

You shake your head. "I don't do so well running," you confess. "Mainly all the running I do is from my problems."

Clint smirks. Lance laughs, a little too loud for a library, "I like you. Can we keep them?" He turns to Nat.

Nat nods curtly. "They're one of us now. Not sure about him though..."

You can see Loki almost wriggle under the scrutiny of four elite athletes who possess near superhuman good looks. "I'm right here, you know," he reminds Nat.

"He looks a little strange, but he'll do. I like the look of him." Bobbi grins, and locks her ice blue gaze with him. "I like your tie," she laughs.

Loki frowns. "Thanks...?"

Clint breaks the strange social adoption with his cleared throat and the sound of half his knuckles popping at once. "I'm sure we all like each other, and everything's fine and dandy, but we're in a library and I have archery practice in half an hour and a spiel to spill before then. May we reconvene...?"

Lance nods. "Good idea, mate."

It's only been five minutes since Loki checked out his high school English prescribed text, and all of you ambled out of the book haven, but it seems eons. You, Loki, Nat, Clint and Lance and Bobbi sit on the steps to the library, like a secret club in a movie that meets in not-so-secret places.

"I figured the only way to get out of today's track meet up was to fake a lie that you were in trouble," Clint beams.

Lance sighs. "The only way? I could break your legs if you asked, arrows."

Bobbi muttered something in agreement. You practically read her mind; it looked as if she'd just thought, _I'd break them without permission if he keeps on talking like this._

". _.._ What Clint means to say is, I found a lead on who threw the rock. I think it's one of Thor's crew." Nat finished the point being made.

Loki sighed. "Of course it's going to be one of them, they're the only ones who would have had a clue as to what happened. Well, it's either them, or someone we haven't equated yet."

Clint nodded. "We're trying our best."

You nod. "Why are you doing this for me, though? You _just_ met me. All of you, have literally just met me; I'm sure I'm not important." You look at your shoes.

Someone barks out a laugh, and you can't pinpoint just who.

"I like you, _________. And that doesn't happen often with people," Nat tells you, her voice not as flat as usual. It's almost like she's come alive. "We're going to be best friends."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been watching Agents of Shield and I _had_ to include some of their gang.


	4. Good Guy, Bad Guy, Red Guy, Green Guy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's late, and it's getting dark, and once again, trouble has found you and went out of its way to make life a little harder for you. And, there's someone calling you who you don't know. Is this a sitcom or what?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I'm late to post, I was at work _all_ day. Forgive me!

The fine for the window came to nearly a neat $80.00 that you didn't have, and time flew after that too fast. It's now Saturday, and your shift went as well as it could with nothing too bad happening. But, as fate would have it, on closing the shop, someone had decided to burst your tires (only three!) and put another stone through the window. This time, it was labeled _bimbo_ and the rock was the size of two of your fists together.

The verdict: you weren't driving home tonight.

"What would you know," you hummed under your breath in annoyance. Quickly, you whipped out your phone to photograph the evidence before the fading daylight got too bad. "More misleading things that will make rumours and take half my payslip to fix."

The road was silent as you made sure to get the evidence, like all traffic had diverted to an alternate route. Too quiet. Like the sort of quiet that comes in a movie before -

Your phone buzzed in your hands. Incoming call.

_Unknown number._

Quickly, you answer it. "Eff off, Thor, I know its you throwing rocks -- we ended it! I don't need you in my ear like a -,"

"________, it's me, Loki," he manages to get a word in the edge ways.

"Loki? How'd you get my number?" You pressure, heart racing off the charts within your chest. "Why are you calling? How?"

He sighs. "Thor should be more careful where he leaves his phone, and really needs a passcode. But really, I'm not calling to brag. I know you're in trouble. Nat Romanoff had a tip off of what happened, and I had to check. Are - are you okay?"

You can't help but deflate a little. All the pent-up frustrations and the worry and now, another rock through more glass just went straight from of your tense shoulders now that you could hear his voice.

"No," you mutter. "I can't drive at all, and it's too late to take a cab back to the university, even if I had the cash. Can - would it be too much if I -,"

You heard the melody of keys jangling, the shift of clothing, and a determined tone in his voice. "I'm on my way. What street are you in?"

As you rattle off details, you can't shake the feeling that you're being watched; and not the kind of watched that suggests it's just an old lady with her binoculars being a busybody. It's the sort of being watched which raises your arm hairs and has the _Jaws_ theme nagging in the back of your mind. 

"Don't hang up," you tell him. "I - I don't feel safe."

Loki made a _harrumph_ of approval. "I'm sure you aren't feeling that, you've been attacked anonymously for the second time this fortnight. Besides, I like hearing your voice." He adds, and you hear his car start up in the background. "Tell me about your day. That should give you something else to think about."

Looking up, you frown. There are no stars tonight. "Well, I had my usuals," you gesture to the bakery beside you, now closed and lifeless for the night, "Mr Lee had his usual coffee and chat. And Dr Richards came by, to pick up a cake for his wife's birthday. He's a nice man, Dr Richards. And - uh," you stutter, hearing a car screech nearby. You wonder if it's your saviour, or someone with an ill will. "Loki?"

"________? What's wrong?" He gasps.

"Th-there's a car nearby, coming. Is it you? Please tell me it's you." You manage to say through your fear.

There's a pause, and then too quickly, Loki replies, "Yes, that's me. I'm sorry, I'm speeding a little. You sound so worried, I -," the phone call ends in your hands, and glancing up, you see a little silver car with Loki's head out the window. "Came as fast as I could. C'mon, let's get you home."

"I owe you, big time, don't I?" You wonder, clambering in. "Did I interrupt anything of yours you were up to? Any girlfriend I have to apologise to?"

The car is silent for a moment, and then, he says, "No girlfriend," just as he turns into the car park for your dormitory, "It was just assignments tonight."

"Sorry about that." You laugh, but your mirth is cut short. "You keep saving me," You notice aloud. "How do you know I'm in trouble?"

Now is the time you would disembark the scene, and leave with a red face and an inability to talk with him for a week. But with every second passing, the car growing i icier with suspense, and Loki's mind is moving a mile a minute.

"I'm not a stalker, I swear," he admits, glancing from the road. "Ever since my brother mentioned you, I had an idea of what a person who would date him could be. I thought, they had to be vapid, vain; at university for cosmetic reasons, weaning what they could off his name and status as athlete." He confesses. "I saved your date because I was curious. And - now, Alice, I've fallen down a rabbit hole, and all they all see me as is the Jabberwocky."

You feel your face heat up. "So, the other day, when you said you wanted to be friends..."

He throws his hands out as if he's stopping someone from skiing into him or something. "I am not the sort of person who just jumps straight into a relationship, ___________. Even if you like me, and I like you, I want to be friends first. And foremost." He sighs. "How - did I just mess everything up?"

"No," you whisper.

"That's good, then, right?" He glances to you.

You bob your head. "Loki, you literally have been the best friend I could ask for; you don't care that I'm a victim of wrongly placed lies? And you just went out of your way for me. And you're genuinely a cool guy."

"Cool guy?" He repeats.

You sigh. "Loki, you didn't screw it up."

He hums. You shift in the seat. And it's then suddenly, the air becomes weightless, and it seems all there is in the world is this car, and all there is in the car is his lips - they're right there! Beautiful and rosy, your bated breath slowing time down. It's mesmerising. It's charming. It's captivated your entire soul. And before you know, you're moving toward -

"Are - are you going to answer that?"

Loki's voice is so soft, you barely hear it, but it breaks the spell that nearly caused you a kiss, and all you can focus on is the vibrating of your mobile phone.

"Would it be okay -,"

"Of course, of course. Go ahead." His smile is tight, but in the moment, you're not focused on how his eyes linger over the Cupid's bow of your lip, your bright eyes as they squint at the phone screen.

"Don't shoot, but I accidentally let it slip that you were at college here, and now suddenly instead of pursuing the Stark trade of blowing things up, Tony has me tailing after him to come to meet you!" Virginia bursts, as soon as you open the call. "I'm with him for an apprenticeship program, and he's got me enrolled at a university to get a degree that his trust funds are paying for!"

You're silent as she bursts, her voice loud over the phone.

"Gin, that's so cool, crazy, too, but this isn't a good time..." You interject, quietly hoping she would get the message.

"Holy martini, don't tell me you're with Date-Saver Laufeyson," she gasps, and gushes, "Oh - did I interrupt a date? I'll call back. Tomorrow. Oh the tea! I want to hear _everything."_ Virginia pauses, and you can almost hear her smile, "_________, you sly fox."

The car is silent after the call ends. You stare at your phone. Loki stares at you. Somewhere in the night, a raccoon stares at a bin. All of these accounts of staring turn into something more, and you go to speak the same time as Loki.

"How about we take a rein check on that date?" He asks.

"I haven't been telling her all about you," you blurt.

Loki's and your faces are set aflame with what you two had said. He rests his head on the steering wheel slowly. You shove your phone into your pocket.

"I'd love to go on a date with you," you whisper. "I have no lectures tomorrow afternoon, how about...we order a pizza and enjoy the fine dining of one of our dorms?"

Loki's voice is muffled slightly from taking into the steering wheel, but you're sure he's just said, "I'm free then. My place."

You nod. "Sounds great." and with that, you lean to the steering wheel, shift Loki's hair that falls into his face, and kiss his cheek, like a meek school-aged kid. "I'll, uh, see you at one o'clock."

He doesn't know you depart the car awash in emotion and fury over how damsel in distress the events of late have made you seem. You're no Mary Sue, no Gary Stu, no weepy and wallowing pitiful person whose woeful life takes over themselves. And somehow, that's what Loki sees in you. Someone strong. Stronger than what you're letting on.

And you can't be happier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GAHHHHHH I FREAKING LOVE FLUFF I HOPE YOU DO TOO!!


	5. Salt and Pepper and Talk of the Weather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a new face on campus, and a new moniker to call your best friend Virginia Potts by.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh I didn't put as much love and care into writing this,, I hope you all don't hate me for it,,,

"So, honestly, all it really is, is the body regrowing it's own tissue back at a faster pace than ever recorded in medical and human history," Helen relays to you over her breakfast bun. "It's going to be the future of your area of expertise, I'd say in less than ten years time. Give or take." She beams.

You raise an eyebrow over your smoothie. "Really? I mean, Helen, it's just a concept now, what about -,"

Helen shakes her head. "Concept? Pah, I've already created a prototype, done animal _and_ human trials, and the university said if I could get a little funding..." you can't help but zone out.

After all, it's a Friday morning, and the cafeteria is bustling with university life. And Helen's life's work is better heard probably any other day of the week.

Across the cafe, another science whiz, Pete Parkley or something is animatedly discussing something with Professor Munroe, Clint's archery friend Kate is wrestling a girl you think is called America - "...are you listening, ______?"

You nod too enthusiastically. "Human trials. Skin regrowth. Next big name in scientific history will be Dr Helen Cho."

She snorts. "I'm not even going to argue, of course I'm going for my PhD. But I was talking about...you know what? It's way too early to bore you to death with theoretical theories - is that Jane? Jane!" Helen waves down a brown haired girl holding a tall coffee and a stack of folders. "Sit with us!"

You wince. "Really? I thought -,"

Helen waves you off. "Relax, Jane is honestly the coolest person I've ever met. Plus, she's great at her field." Jane sits, and beams a smile. "Foster, it's been too long! This is _____ ______."

The girl named Jane shares you a shy smile. From what you can tell, she probably has things to get to, people to see. "Hey, I'm Jane. How do you know Helen? Are you in her course too?"

You shake your head. "No, I'm a nurse in training. We're friends through Bruce Banner, and through him, I'm Clint Barton's old friend from school..." you wince, "I'm rambling, I'm sorry." you gesture to her folders, and stop yourself. "For a study meet-up or -?"

"I'm the student rep, the one who volunteers what time I don't dedicate to astrophysics to greeting new people to the uni." Jane takes a sip of her coffee, "And we've got two new people coming today, so, I'm preparing myself for their arrival."

"What is this, the _Breakfast Club_ sans everyone else but the nerd?" another brown haired girl sat beside Jane heavily, flipping her hair. "'sup, nerds?"

Helen looks to you. "This is Darcy, Jane's friend."

Darcy grins. "Please tell me you aren't doing a super-ultra smart subject like these geeks here so I can communicate with you like a normal human being," she holds her head in her hands like it's going to explode.

You clear your throat, and suddenly uncomfortable with the attention of three pairs of eyes on you, you answer back, "I'm a nurse. You know, like band-aids, x-rays..."

Darcy nods. "Good God, I think we might be on the same wavelength. Almost. Jane? Are we on the same wavelength or not because this here - ______, is it?" she asks you, and gestures to your coffee cup, "I read your name, chill. Not a stalker!" She laughs, "But we are the same - good! Yay! Great stuff - I need to tell Ian. Frick! He's gonna freak when I tell him I found _not_ another rocket scientist in the social circle." Her words are rapid, like machine gun fire had a lovechild with a coffee-hyped up small animal. "Gotta buzz!"

Akin to a buxom Road Runner, Darcy dashes off.

You blink. "She has to be one of the fastest talking people I've ever met in my life," you take a deep breath, and glance to Jane. "Is she always - is she, uh," you hum.

"She's won an award for it once, at a frat party." Jane grins, and gathers her folders. "Yeah, she's always like that. I have to buzz, sorry Helen, ________.  I'll talk later, okay?" The brunette excuses herself.

You wave her off, taking a sip. "It was nice meeting you, Jane!" You glance at your watch, and you gasp. "I'm going to be so late for the -," 

"What, can't anyone be late for reasons anymore these days?" A carefree voice speaks up behind you. Without turning, you know exactly who it is. You've heard enough stories of him and seen enough daytime TV in waiting areas to know his voice. 

"Tony Stark!" Helen Cho's hand freezes on her breakfast. "Holy schnauzer..."

Sure enough, standing there like he owns the cafeteria, is the dark-haired bombshell brunette with a hint of facial hair growing on his otherwise youthful face. Yes. This is the handsome man on the cover of _Novi Scientiam_ monthly, but this is also the face you have the stories firsthand from your closest friend Virginia. 

"Hello," he grins, winking at the two of you. "I couldn't help but overhear that you two were in the science business. I'm enrolled here, with my -- uh, _friend_ , Pepper." 

Your eyes widen, and glancing beside him, you see, almost halfway hidden behind, is the familiar red-headed freckled face of Virginia Potts. She's out of the mini-heels she was complaining about, now in her favourite green sneakers, and in the most un-apprenticeship-y outfit you have ever seen. In fact, it's the most un-Virginia thing you've ever seen.

"Wait, Pepper?" you frown. "You're letting this guy call you by your middle name?" you stand, pushing past the soon-to-be-inheriting-a-billion-dollar-industry Tony Stark like he was a rag doll to hug your friend. "It's been way too long, Gin."

Helen resumes her breakfast bun, assessing the scene unfolding before her eyes. Somehow through the melee of meeting for the first time, reuniting friends and such, you hear her mutter with a mouthful, "This is like an episode straight out of _Gossip Girl._  But I wouldn't know. I don't watch _Gossip Girl_." 

 

 

 

"Woah, your dorm is so cute!" Pepper gushes, rushing toward your bed to flop face-first onto it. You hadn't changed the duvet cover in a week or so, but the room, you had to agree, was pretty cute. They allowed you to decorate it the way you liked to, and ever since the landlord had fixed the window, the new one shed more light into the room. "Ugh, I love it."

You chuckle, sitting beside her. "Gin, you live right next door."

She sighs, and turns to face you. "With Tony Stark. Sleeping in the same room, putting his stinky socks everywhere and talking flirty and science in the same breath," she groans. "Like always." 

"Sounds like you don't have that big a problem with the guy," you laugh, grinning, and lowering your voice, you add, "You've never let me call you by that name," you remind her gently.

Pepper sighs again, and flips over to lay on her back. Her fire-toned hair falls into her bright eyes, and she takes a deep breath. "He found my driver's licence. Thought he would taunt me with calling me Pepper instead of 'Miss Potts'. I can't stop him. He just ... does it."

You brush the hair from her face. "It's not going to be long, and if he's the party-goer he claims to be, you'll have the room to yourself more often than not. Or, you know I've always got a blow-up bed under mine if you need it."

She nods. "You're the greatest friend ever, ________. I'm glad we're together again..." Her eyes widen. "Did you meet Bruce yet?"

You beam. "And all his friends, they're a cluster of people I can't imagine together, yet they are." 


	6. The Addendum Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Loki go for their date, as arranged. There are complications; naturally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, sorry I'm super late in updating. I've been at my grandmother's, editing her novel (she's very sick, and wants it published before she passes away). I hope you understand.

As fate would have it, or, ridiculously good timing, just as you step foot into Loki's dorm room, the heavens open up outsides and release a downpour to rival all downpours. Your mind doesn't pay much to it, not while you have the room in which Loki Laufeyson, brother of Thor and perpetual lucky star slash date saver lives in for the school months.

It's clean, neat; the furniture isn't second hand, and cheap like yours, but almost reflecting an IKEA vibe with the minimalism and the perfectly aligned neatness of all within it. Or, just half of the room is neat, the other half looks like somewhat of an explosion of chicken feathers and popcorn. 

"My roommate's in hospital, don't mind the mess," Loki gestures to the bombshell vaguely, and grabbing his laptop, he boots up the internet browser, "So, I've looked up local low-price places we could go out to, I was thinking either the botanic gardens, or there's a multiplex cinema nearby..." he muses.

You shake your head, and along with the gesture, you close the lid of the laptop. "Those sound like really great places to go," you start off, meeting his green eyes. They're deep, and the colour mesmerises you, and before you can help yourself not to, you blurt, "To be honest, though, Lokes, I'd rather be alone with you."

He grins. "Lokes?" 

You shrug. "Just trying it out. You don't seem the kind of guy for pet names."

Loki nods, sliding the laptop away, moving toward you. Every step he takes, you catch the whiff of his scent, stronger and stronger until you're enveloped by his presence, his shadow in the crappy dorm lights, his aura. "I'm not," he whispers. "But I am for you."

"Cheesy, much?" You bat his arm, stepping around him. "Let's throw some popcorn on, watch something terribly good from the 90's, talk about our desperate lives and maybe make out. Deal?" you propose.

He beams. "Sounds like a plan, _______."

 

 

 

Four movies, two bags of popcorn, one long snuggle session and two phone calls straight to voicemail later, and it's no longer one o'clock in the afternoon, it's very much later than the both of you ever expected and your eyes are growing heavy even though it's only nigh five hours later. 

"I never picked you up as a romantic comedy fan," you teased Loki, going to stand up. " _Pretty Woman_? _Groundhog Day_?" you nudge him, stretching, moving to the mess to help clean it up. "You're quite the catch. I'm surprised you're not already taken."

He groans, nudging you back. "I told you, _______, the only person I'm taken by is you."

On the end of the bed, your phone screen is alight with the tell-tale signs of someone trying to contact you. Though you're not sure why, because you've told all who need to be told where you are to who you need to. All your assignments have been submitted for the week, nothing new popping up at work. 

Yet there's an unknown number calling.

"Are you going to pick it up?" Loki frowns.

Your finger slides over the screen, unlocking and answering the call at once. "Hello? Who's calling?"

There's a pause, and what could only sound like the slow tapping of fingers against the keys of a keyboard. Then, "It's good to finally hear from you, _______." The monotonous computerised voice of a app speaks. It's sure as anything not spoken by a person. You put the phone to speaker just in time for voice to add, "I am the one who is throwing rocks."

You can hear Loki's grip on the empty popcorn bags tighten, just as you repeat, "Who's calling? Who is this?"

"This is vengeance," the computerised voice replies. "This is retribution."

Your gaze shoots to where Loki is standing, eyes wide. His are too, and watching the phone with a laser-like intent, almost like he had the ability to make the phone shatter at a mere glance. "Vengeance for what? I haven't done anything." you reply.

"Lies."

And at that, the phone call is ended. 

 

 

 

You both pull on your overcoats, and a pair of raincoats and umbrellas Loki has lying around, and rush out in the downpour in search of the one person you hope can help find out who has sent you the calls. By the time you make it to Wanda Maximoff's dorm room, it's late, and the rain falls even harder than before. As expected, Wanda is not alone; her dorm-mate is clad in headphones studiously looking over their notes. Upon her bed sits a young man you hadn't met before; his hair is dyed a shade of green alike to the rich green of moss, and wears all red. 

"Oh _______ - Loki!" Wanda stands quickly, jostling her friend, "I didn't know - I thought this was your date night?" her accent is thick, eyes searching yours. "Don't tell me -,"

Loki nods. "_______ has gotten contact from the person throwing rocks, this time through a phone call. We were hoping your friend, the hacker could help with this problem." He explains, glancing to the dorm-mate. "This isn't a bad time, is it?"

The young man stands from his perch on the bed. "No, it isn't. I'm Vision; Wanda told me lots about you to." He introduces, running a hand through his hair, then holding it out for you and Loki to shake. "I can put a chip in your phone to record the location of the signal the phone call can be traced to, but it would only work for the next time this happens."

You grab the cell from your pocket, and thrust it toward him. He takes it with nimble fingers, taking it to the desk on Wanda's half of the dorm room. "Please, and thank you. This ordeal is driving me insane."

"Make that both of us," Loki adds, stepping closer to you. You can tell he's disgruntled; anyone would be if their first date had been ruined by the plotted plight of an anonymous person set to ruin your life. 

Wanda took a deep breath. "I read somewhere that almost eight out of ten threats given to people were from those they knew, or were close to...like a friend-of-a-friend or someone like that," she mused, eyes flicking between you and Loki like you were both grading her on an oral test or something. "That mightn't help, but...but maybe it's someone who might have access to someone who has your phone number, location - social schedule. They seem to be at the right place at the right time so far," she adds, and seeing your expression adds, "For their plot, of course, not for you. Sorry."

Loki shakes his head, "Don't apologise...this makes me think - it must be someone of Thor; he had the inclination that you were cheating, and you had not an idea of that rumour at all," He states. "He was convinced of it at on the greens the other day."

You nod, slowly. "Yes...and they've gotten me when I'm weak." You add, turning from their gaze. "I was asleep the first time, and there were no witnesses to the rock through the window. I was out at my job the second time...and now, there's the phone call, threatening, when I'm with Loki," you link. "It might just be a friend-of-a-friend," you murmur.

Vision beams. "I've placed the device in there. It's a bug of sorts, and taps into your phone calls. I've designed it to only record calls to this device from unknown numbers - ones you haven't got in your phone contacts," he clarifies, and tosses the phone into your hands. "You're in good hands with me."

"He's the best hacker in the school," Wanda agrees. "Maybe even this side of the country."

Vision blushes. "Babe..."

 

 

 

Loki walks you back to your apartment, and as you come into the shelter in the foyer, the rain lets up. It's almost like it's a supernatural force or something, taunting the pair of you with wet socks and sodden eyelashes. But the way Loki looks to you, when your hair is mattered down with the sky's liquid, that makes you feel warm inside; makes you feel better. 

"Sorry it was a very crap first date," you whisper.

Loki recoils. "What makes you say that?" He asks, placing a hand on your elbow. "We watched romantic, yet comedic movies, and ate popcorn in each other's company, charged through the rain like war gods for vengeance, and made progress with the problem you've acquired." His voice is no more than a whisper, but the words fall heavy upon your ears, your heart. "It was the best first date I've ever had."

"You mustn't have been on many first dates, then," you murmur. 

Loki chuckles. "Not many, yes, but enough to know that I very much like being in your presence, _______, and would have very strange dates with you for as long as we ever can," he vows. "But first, before that, you need a shower, and a good night's sleep."

You nod, slowly. If you accept his words, then he will be gone, and though you will see Loki again, yes, it will be an eternity away, because at that moment, you're craving touch, craving his scent. Even if he is more sodden than an abandoned newspaper in a ditch on a Monday. 

"Okay," you echo. "See you in the morning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll do the next part as soon as I can, I promise.


	7. A Cheater Can Never Change It's Spots

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All it takes is a great hacker and researcher to back up your suspicions at a house party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING SOONER PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!! I'VE BEEN SO BUSY WITH WORK AND UNI AND COLLEGE AND LIFE AND OH GOSH PLEASE ENJOY THIS FILLER CHAPTER,,,.

Perhaps a half a month later, with lots to distractions from your loving boyfriend and friends who, around their study and work schedules, include you in their plans and lives. Your course takes most of your time, all the medical terminology and the practical studies keep your attention focused not on the hate mail you’ve been getting, but on gaining better marks than ever, keeping on top to try and be a valedictorian come the end of the year. Loki does this too, gaining stead above his classmates in the political science end of the campus.

You invest in a camera for the dashboard of your car, and invest time and effort in egging the campus to amp the security around the dorm rooms via the multitudes of chatrooms and platforms where you can nag in their ear until they cave. It’s no fun being at the receiving end of invisible abuse, and even worse when you can’t tell a soul outside of the social ring. But you get by, and so does life, and it all goes well until exactly almost a half month later, when you find yourself at a party in one of the shared houses down the street, face to face with something you wish can be erased from your memory.

But you’re getting ahead of yourself.

It was a Saturday evening and all your assignments were submitted, done, and dusted for the week, the end of term exams not too far away, but far enough not to be worried about cramming for. It had been weeks since any contact from the automated computerised voice and any rocks through panes of glass, and for perhaps the longest time ever, you felt relaxed. Relaxed enough to follow Pepper and Tony to a house party, and drag along Loki.

It isn’t until you’ve gotten yourself a cup of punch and are nodding along to the beat of the ever-thrumming bass that fills your ears all up when the relaxation leaves you, running away into the depths of the night to the next person to comfort. Because, that’s when you see _them_.

Thor, and the girl you met not too long ago, Jane, are standing close together by the fireplace, dancing (if you can call swaying hips onto each other’s dancing), touching, smiling. The blood in your body lights afire, running to your head, dizzying you like you’ve taken eight shots of the pungent raspberry vodka.

“Are you okay, _______?” Pepper asks, placing a hand on your arm.

But it’s then you can’t take it anymore, because at that moment the two of them kiss, their faces close, their lips on one another, and the room spins. You turn on your foot, and race away, pushing through the thrumming crowd, run toward the stairs that lead up and away from it all. But as you get up, you see that there is only a corridor of bedrooms, filled with people in various stages of making out or more. But it’s only from the corner of your eye you see a screen door out to a little balcony overlooking the backyard, and making your way to it, you sink into a deck chair and let out a shaky breath.

“______?” A familiar voice attached to long legs and dark hair steps out into the moonlight, and joins you on the deck chair. “Darling, what’s wrong? Pepper said she saw you dash away like a mad person possessed.”

It isn’t until he’s placed his hand in yours that you realise that you’re crying, and they’re not pretty tears like a seasoned movie star who looks like there’s starlight falling from their eyes, no, you look damn ugly, like Pete Parkley or whoever when his boyfriend Wade broke up with him last week. But despite this, Loki cradles you in his arms, and together, you’re above the clamour and noise of the house party, watching the people in the pool down below sip on their piña coladas and alcoholic fire engines. Away from the disaster you just watched.

“Want to talk about it?” He asks you.

You consider denying, and saying you’re all right, and the stress of everything has caught up to you, but instead, you admit it. “Your brother is here, and uh, he’s with someone. I know her, Jane Foster.” You take a deep breath, and remember you’ve left your phone back in the dorm room. “Can I borrow your phone?”

He nods, and before you can say _supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,_ you’re dialling Vision and Wanda’s number, and talking to the expert hacker in seconds. “What are you doing?” Loki wonders.

You shake your head, frowning. “Call it curiosity…” Vision picks up, and before he can protest, you start rattling off data, and call in a favour. “I know it’s probably date night for you two now, but I need a favour – can you do some research into Thor Odinson, and Jane Foster? As a couple?”

On his end, Vision sounds sceptical. “Just because they’re dating now doesn’t give the ex-partner leeway to just snoop around in their business, bad break-up or no,” he reminds you, but with a sharp reminder that Thor is a dickweed at the best of times and that it’s a vague emergency, he concedes, “Sure, sure. I’ll do it, ________, I get where you’re at. Wanda was like this when we went on a break, with a strange doctor.”

The call ends, and once again, you’re sitting with Loki, feeling the sting of the night air. You curl into his side, laying your head upon his shoulder, trying to shut out the image of your ex getting close and personal with someone else. You know you like Loki, and like him a lot, but by the laws of dating, one should wait an amount of time before getting, well, _that_ personal with another person after a break up. You know you aren’t an exception to the rule, but it just happened that you found Loki and he you at the tail end of what happened with Thor, and well…it hurts.

His phone buzzes not five minutes later with a reply via text.

Loki clears his throat. “I don’t think you’ll like what Viz found, ________,” he prefaces, gathering you closer toward his chest.

You shake your head. “Just tell me.”

“There was a lapse…between your breakup, and Jane and Thor,” he reads, and from what you can see, his face darkens, “You didn’t cheat on Thor, ______,” he clarifies, a fist tightening around his phone. “My brother cheated on you.”


	8. In A Birdwatcher's Bedroom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finding the news from Viz on Loki's phone, you're conflicted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it turns out I'm an actual horrible person for not updating, but forgive me because I only just found my plot paper in my bedroom (we're renovating, and painting and stuff) and okay here's the result below.

It feels almost like you’d forgotten taking a breath, and finally, let it out from your lungs. A weight off your chest. Fury and hellfire directed elsewhere than your own soul. You’re still sitting in the deck chair and its peeling wicker sides, and you’re still in your own body, and Loki is still beside you, but the pain that was in your body has dispelled, and it feels almost…good. If you were a more direct person, you’d find a courage and go downstairs and fight your ex, fight Jane, fight everyone and anyone involved in the crime. The nerve he had, calling _you_ the cheater. The buffoon had done nothing but ignore you, and treat you like a second-hand vest when he’d had a perfectly good shirt all along.

But you aren’t a direct person. You’re a nurse in training, and you know what it means to your parents, your reputation, hell, _the school_ if you’re involved in any kind of scuffle. So, the weight is off your chest, and you still are in the deck chair.

“Love?” Loki’s voice is barely a whisper. “Are you okay?” Slowly, you turn to face him. In the moonlight and lowlight of the colours below in the pool area, his face is aglow, an alabaster moon, green eyes, lips parted, a questioning look to them that creates a feeling within you that almost near replaces the need for revenge. “________?”

You nod, distracted. “If I say yes, I’m stupidly well-adjusted, and if I say no, I’m a crazy asshole.”

He makes a noise. “Yeah, but you’re my crazy well-adjusted asshole.”

You huff, half in amusement. “Gods, I just want to tear my hair out. Grab a time machine and go back to when I started dating –,” you take a deep breath, and frown. “But then I’d never have met you.”

Loki makes the same noise again, but this time, it sounds more like a somewhat dark chuckle. “When Odin would get drunk, he’d say things like that. _You’ll only get your brother’s leftovers._ Took me years to figure out I was adopted, and years more not to care. Thor’s an ass at the best of times, but he’s not bad. It used to be better, between us.”

You’re silent. It’s a lot to take in, but truly, you’re quiet, mulling over what it would feel like to be subtly belittled by the man you were supposed to love and respect, for a whole childhood. It would be a torment.

“I don’t want to be that person…” you can’t find it in yourself to hold your gaze while saying the words, and instead, take his hand in yours, and drawing a pattern with your thumb upon his skin. “Would you think any less of me if I –,”

Loki frowns. “Throw rocks in his windows?”

You burst out laughing, despite yourself. “No! No, gosh, no. I was, uh, going to ask you if you wanted to, er, go to somewhere a little more, private. You know what I mean?”

His brow quirks quizzically. “What are you proposing, ______?”

You feel a blush take over your face. “I just saw my ex-boyfriend, and your brother ravishing a friend of a friend of mine. I’m distressed. Hell, emotional.” You look to Loki, making sure not to break the eye-contact, a strange overconfidence taking over your soul and enveloping you whole. “Can’t a person ask their boyfriend to take advantage of the situation in a house party…where several rooms are left unattended?”

His eyes widen, and seeing his hand is in yours, leans back to stand, taking you with him. It’s like in movies, when the background music dulls, and the camera tunnels, and the love interest is in the centre of the screen, looking as gorgeous as ever. That’s what it feels like, looking at Loki, taking in his hair that brushes the tip of his shoulders, his nose that is so long, and so straight, lips as gorgeous as lips can be. He’s leading you inside, and opening a door, and seeing none inside, brings you inside with him.

The room is decorated in shades of first place ribbons and posters of birds and books on nursing. But you don’t see those, you see the bed, made neat with pressed sheets, and you see Loki and you clambering onto the top of the sheets, so close to one another that you can see every detail on his body, the pale freckles by his ears, the way his hair curled at the ends.

“Are you sure?” The words leave his lips almost reluctantly. You know this, because this is where you two could have ended up that day after watching movies. You know this, because there’s a hesitation. “_______?”

You nod. “I need a distraction.”

Loki’s lips lift into a small smile. “I know, just…I wouldn’t want our first to be out of anything else but adoration.”

You make a noise. Slowly, expelling your breath, you lay back, your head on the stranger’s bed’s pillow, looking to Loki. “Then adore me, Odinson.” A blush came across his face, a crimson you cannot help but feel proud of causing. He acted like no stranger to sex any other times (perhaps it was just your misunderstanding), but here, you cannot help but see it. “Are you sure?” you repeat his words.

Pushing yourself up to sit, you inspect Loki. But his words come before your assessment, “I don’t think of you as a distraction. Shitty things happen to un-shitty people, and you’re a very un-shitty person, sweetling. I don’t want to be remembered as a stone in a window or…or a brutish Odinson.” You remember his words from earlier in the night. _You’ll only get your brother’s leftovers_. “Love?”

“If you are a mango, he is a lemon,” you whisper, voice barely there, a hard-to-hear mumbling over the thrum of bass below. “I spent too long on the wrong Odinson, and I won’t spend another second on him while you are here. He’s an ill-timed coward, and you’re a knight, a goddamned knight in green armour.”

Loki’s head bows, eyes downcast. You lay a kiss upon his brow, and breathe in his scent.

“Lay in my arms,” you tell him. “No sex. Kisses. Hugs.” You propose.

Loki looks to you. “My insecurities are taking over my life.”

You chuckle, leaning back, tugging Loki to lay beside you. “I still like you, Lokes. Remember the date you crashed? I think about how hot you looked in that suit all the time. Well, not all the time, that would be unreasonable. Loads. I think about how hot you look lots of times.”

He cracks a smile. “I think about how intelligent, and resilient you are.” His hand goes to stroke your cheek, cradling his cold fingers against your skin. “And…how good you look tonight, you’re absolutely priceless.”

“Cost thirty-seven dollars, actually, for this,” you mumble.

“Worth every cent, then, darling.” He grins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope this makes up for not updating for months!!


	9. Pretty Little Confessions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy Lewis appears into a lecture you're both taking, and spills the beans on what she knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *waves weakly* hey guys...I'm back from the dead...!

“Okay, first of you, how dare you,” Wanda hissed. “This is class. It’s sacred. You just can’t come in here late as hell, dressed like shit, and expect me to say _hey there, ________ like it’s a regular Thursday freakin’ afternoon?”

You sat quickly, “Wanda, I’m only three minutes late.” You whisper, face hot with shame, “I’m sorry.”

She scoffed, eyes not moving from the lecturer at the front of the room. “Just because you’ve been sucking face with that new boy of yours? Please. Nothing’s more important than _Causes and Prevention of War_. Except,” she touches your wrist for a second, and knowing what follows when your fellow friend the psychic encountered objects, you hear her say under her breath, “ _Ooh,_ your aunt is a witch –,”

Someone from another seat shushed her with the ferocity of a librarian, and silenced, you two delved into the lecture about being legally correct and making sure not to get on the nerves of anyone else when tensions were high. Or something. You only were taking this class because you were taking a break from all the practical labs in your medicine, and because you were in want to catch up with Wanda after all the bullshit in your life recently.

But as furious Wanda was for your late entry at only one hundred and eighty seconds into the lecture, another person came in, at six hundred seconds. Helen’s friend’s friend, the one with dark hair.

Darcy.

She looked like hell, yet made it fashionable. Glasses askew, hair wild, she looked like the sort of broke girl who needed a friend in that moment, as the kind of mess she was, was hot, yes, but still a mess, and clearly from the mascara-fed tears, was not having a good day at all. And by how late she was, and the evil eye from the very evil lecturer, she was forced into one of the only seats left – which was beside you.

The rest of the lecture passes, and when the rest of the class gathers their recently inked notes, MacBook’s and regular books, Darcy looks to you. “These guys don’t kick you out if you stay here an extra five minutes, you know,” she says. “I…I need to tell you something.” Even though it’s been almost about forty-five minutes, or an hour, she’s still sniffily, and wiping a streak of dark tears over her cheek, she makes a noise. “I’m the reason behind all this shit.”

Wanda puts a hand on Darcy’s forehead, sweeping off hair that’s sticking to the other woman’s face. “Holy crap, you’re burning up,” Wanda glances to you, “and she’s telling the truth.”

You frown at the red-clad psychometric. “Really?” Her other hand is on Darcy’s wrist, fingers upon her pulse. “Oh. Okay.” Then, to Darcy, you address, sitting back in your seat. “You threw the rocks through my windows? You made Thor think I cheated on him when I’m the human embodiment of a goat sent out to the wild to be shitted upon by mankind?”

She nodded, sniffing once more, “It started back in Frosh week back when school here started…”

“Yeah?” you prompted.

“I was really into this guy, Ian, and Ian was into me, and that was cool. We hanged a bit before we banged like screen doors in a hurricane, but that’s beside the point. Well, really, it is the point. There was – I mean, is, a guy who likes me too. Um, Fandral. He’s on Thor’s team, really ripped, got facial hair going on too, so that’s cute but only if you’re into hipster shit.

“But I _am_ into hipster shit thank you very much, and when Ian was off with me – he broke it off, so he could be down in case any other prospects come along, which I respect, totally, since I have the same mindset when it comes to meaningless sex and all that. But yeah. I was totally off with Ian. Fandral just came to my room that night, flowers in his hands, chocolates, the whole package like it was Valentine’s day or something. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, I was like, PMSing really hard, but down to bone, you know? So, I boned. A lot.

“and then, that week was over. I think I took too many morning after pills, but whatever, my family has health insurance or some crap for that kind of thing. I started getting the books out, focusing on school rather than leaving it to take care of a lovechild conceived on the communal laundry floor. I broke it off with Fandral! Sent a text, said it to his face, whatever. I think a day passed, and then Ian and I were a thing again? I don’t know.

“…I used to room in the same building as you. The real nice old one? Yeah. I was the room beside yours, but I left when Fandral got all crazy. I mean, he was always weird – I mean, he’s practically obsessed with the idea that he’s the shit. I mean, with the size of his _woo_ , you would be, but he was OTT about it. Anyways. He threatened to kill me. No big deal, I practically got raised by Nat Romanoff’s family, and know how to not get killed by egotistical white boys who think they’re entitled to your _hoo_ - _hoo_.

“I was out on a girl’s night with Jane and Helen, but Helen left early because she had a studying session with some rando I don’t know, Stefan, I don’t know, he’s strange as hell, and I got this strange as hell text from Fandral, asking where my dorm room was in the building. I did what any logical person would do! I lied! He was freaking me out. I said your room, and next thing I know, campus is telling us to beware of vandals and putting bars on some of the windows around town and I just left there and roomed in with Nat. She doesn’t mind me cockblocking her, she’s used to it by now. In fact, I’m sure she’s okay with it, with what calibre she’s attracting now, since Arrows started coming around to play Wii…”

Wanda huffs, impatient from the life update from the practical stranger beside both of you. “So Fandral did it? He’s the one throwing rocks?”

Darcy nods, moaning sadly into her fist, and as she does that, another tear falls. “Yeah. He texted me every time he threw one of those rocks, and instead of it being about me, it turned to you? Like, Fandral was kinda decent before the fuckboy-ery happened, and suddenly he was obsessed with _you_ instead of me, and framed you for cheating on Thor when it was Thor cheating on you –,”

Wanda wipes a hand over her face, and sighs. “This is so dramatic…but then again, _______’s life is a freakin’ train wreck, so who am I to judge. I mean, this all sounds like a terrible plot thought up by someone who knows nothing about conflict and resolution!” The seasoned political science student exclaimed, “It all sounds so fake, but…okay. Go on.”

Darcy gives the other woman a slice of side-eye, and takes her cue. “But it’s real! Turns out I was his beard. Well, he had a beard, but still. He was balls-deep in love with Thor the whole time, and he…ugh. I’m sick of it. I – I just had to tell you.” She looks at you with sad, sad eyes like a buxom puppy.

“_______? You okay?” Wanda asked.

You’re silent. “I have to call Loki.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I KNOW IT'S BEEN FIVE MONTHS BUT SERIOUSLY, IT'S BEEN A HECTIC YEAR AND I HAVE A LEGIT REASON FOR NOT UPDATING SERIOUSLY. MY NANA IS SICK, MY BEDROOM IS A PERPETUAL MESS, I'M STARTING UNIVERSITY NEXT YEAR AND WORK IS A SH*TSHOW AT THE BEST OF TIMES PLEASE FORGIVE ME...!


	10. Brawling in Libraries Isn't the Way to Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You decide to take action. And so do your handful of friends who've dedicated themselves to your cause.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I beg forgiveness in almost every chapter, so I'm not going to do it here. I know I said in a comment I'll finish this story in 2017, and now it's February '18 and this is the last chapter before the epilogue. My life has been a mess, my computer deleted the file, and Christmas in retail is beyond the worst thing in the world apart from death and all that. So, now I've explained myself, I'm preparing for y'all to tear shreds out of me in the comments, so go ahead.

The call to Loki ended up being a voicemail, since he never had it on anything else but vibrate. When he got out of his lecture, he came immediately over to your dorm, not caring who saw him come over. Which lead to Tony eavesdropping through the thin walls. Despite outright saying that Loki looked like a shady guy (how he came up with that idea, you had no clue), and the young adult genius decided to help with the taking down of Fandral and the misinformed Thor Odinson. You want to keep it private, not make a civil war out of it, but that’s when Wanda gets wind of the situation, and she has her boyfriend Vision come over too, and his friend Karen (she tutors Pete Parkley or whoever, you’re not paying attention). And Nat’s friends, and Steve’s friend too.

That’s when you decide there’s _way_ too many people crammed into your room and you excuse yourself for a minute to get a breather.

You lock the communal bathroom door behind you and go to sit on the lid of the unisex loo when you realise that you’re not alone. Darcy Lewis is already there, sitting there with silent tears.

“What – are you okay?” you ask, realising that that’s all you can really get out of your mouth.

She looks through her fingers to you, and sobs. “This – this is all my fault.” She whispers.

Your heart drops. Even if this was a little of Darcy’s work, it wasn’t intentional. Nobody asks to have a crazy ex-lover go on a misunderstood rampage. Unless they’ve been dating a blonde pop star, and then it’s lyricised. You clear your throat and bend down to Darcy’s level upon the grotty tiled floor. “Um, don’t cry –,”

She cries harder. “If I wasn’t such a ho, this wouldn’t have happened.” She moans, getting words out between sobs. “You must hate me!”

You shake your head. “Darcy, I barely know you.” You say. “I’m just some random you barely know, too. Someone who didn’t ask for any of this, yeah, but, I learned who my friends are…and I met some pretty cool new ones too.” You laugh a little at the irony of it. “Sometimes you need to hit rock bottom to swim back to the surface.”

She hesitates. “My Mom says the same thing,” she says.

You shake your head. “This whole thing has gotten to our heads, I think. As much as I want it to blow over, it won’t. Even if some of it is your fault, it’s mine, too.” You look down. “As much as I don’t want to admit it, I should have broken it off with Thor ages ago. I had a big crush on him the whole time, and yet, tried to ignore how much he didn’t give back to me.”

Darcy places a hand on your arm. “Honey…”

“Now’s not the time to feel shitty about hindsight,” you shake your head, and going to stand, hold a hand for Darcy to take. “C’mon, Darce, we’ve got a whole army of BA students outside, let’s go kick Fandral’s ass.”

Exiting the loo, nobody gives you two a double-take. Maybe it’s because Darcy’s still crying black mascara tears, or because you’re basically friends with all these people based upon mutual trust and respect. Entering the dorm bedroom once more, all heads are turned to you.

“There they are,” Tony calls out. “We’ve been looking for you!” Pepper smacks his leg softly, to which he kisses her cheek. What had happened in the last five minutes between the two of them? Now wasn’t the time of course, but you’d need the details.

“I want to set things straight. Right now.” You say, looking to Loki. “I’m going to find Fandral and tell him to stop doing this horrid thing.”

Karen quirks an eyebrow. “What about telling the Dean? Or maybe the police? This has been an act of hate crime, or something.”

You shake your head. “I think we can be adult enough to work it through maturely.” You pull out your phone, and search through your contacts to find Fandral’s profile. “Now I just have to find where he is right now…”

Darcy holds up her phone. “I follow him on Starkchat,” the little yellow ghost is clear on the screen as it loads. “He still hasn’t turned off his location for Starkmaps.” A little icon pops on the screen, where you can see the avatar of your tormentor. “It says…he’s at the library.”

You hold your head up high. “Then I guess we’re going to the library.”

 

 

 

 

 

Just walking into the library makes you think it’s a very bad idea, the whole thing. Because other than the fact that Fandral isn’t the type of person you’d like to be hanging around (brash, jokey, rude), he’s hanging around other people that you’d rather not be around (Thor, Hogun, Volstagg).

You swallow and contemplate hiding in the nonfiction section. But before you can turn upon your heel and read up on all kinds of snakes from all over the world, you’re spotted.

“Hey, _______, just the person I wanted to see,” He says, voice sickly sweet like a cinnamon roll mixed with too much sugar and icing. “Hey there, homewrecker.”

You take a deep breath. Suck in your pride. And go forward to take a seat opposite him at the study table he’s at. Your friends stand by the religious bookshelves, waiting to see how what’s happening will go.

“To be honest, Fandral, you’re the homewrecker,” you reply levelly. “Wrecking my dorm, my car, throwing rocks. I’m just trying to get through my degree.”

He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, that’s what you want everyone to think. Once you got a taste for one Odinson, you had to have ’em all, isn’t that so?” He taunts.

Beside him, Thor glares into his law textbook.

“You know, for someone whose manscaping is as pitiful as their innuendos, I would have thought you’d improve in time. Bimbo? Grow up.” You retort. “Besides, I don’t even think you’re angry on behalf of Thor for my alleged cheating.”

“Alleged?” he repeats, laughing.

Ms Friday shushes him from the natural history section.

You nod. “Yeah, it’s alleged, because it didn’t even happen. Maybe it’s because Thor’s been cheating on me the whole time with his girlfriend Jane Foster. Or because you have nothing better to do, you jealous asshole, because you’re in love with him as well!” you hiss.

A silence falls over the library, in more than the sense of it being shocked, and not because it’s a library.

“What did you just call me?” he whispers, face red.

Thor turns to him. “You’re gay?”

Ms Friday’s kitten-heels tap their way over, her ire in full swing. But before she can make it through the maze of bookshelves and study tables, Fandral has launched himself over the study table toward you, arms going for your neck. Hogun moves the crystal lamp out of the way, standing back. Steve goes to wrestle Fandral from choking you. Tony jumps in for the heck of it. Thor and Loki share loud, heated words, and Wanda grabs a five-inch textbook and whacks Fandral on the back of the head.

“For the Warriors!” someone yells.

You’re not sure who, but you kick one person while you’re down of the floor, and bite another.

Abhorred by the antics in her library, Ms Friday goes off to the librarian desk and calls, for the first time in her twenty years working at the library, the security team. You know this because not five minutes after, you’re all being picked off each other, and escorted out of the building. Even Hogun, who saved the lamp from breaking and didn’t fight anyone.

“I’ll call the Dean…” Ms Friday mutters, going back into the library. “Brawling! In my library!”

“Imagine if this goes online,” Darcy whispers. “or to the local news…”

Pepper blanches, even though she wasn’t a part of the fight. “Tony was in it! And I’m his intern! I’ll be ruined professionally!”

You pat her hand. “I’m sorry, Virginia.” You never intended for any of this to happen, and now there’s consequences that you must face, surely. You’ve heard of the antics of Dean Alexander Pierce, and now, you’ve got to face the ire that follows. That’s just life. You just go along with it.

Loki places his hand in yours, squeezing it. “Let’s hope we have a fair trial.”

You smile, and lean into his embrace. “I sure hope so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How'd you like it? Apart from killing me for the late-late update, did you enjoy?


	11. Epilogue

Unlike in story books, real life has no ending to narratives. It just keeps going on and on, until, well, either death or disinterest. All it took was for your cheating ex-boyfriend’s brother to come in his stead, an envious lover pitting against you, and a band of friends to get here. It feels like ages, but then again, time is arbitrary. It didn’t take long to fall for the younger brother, but, it was him who opened your eyes to everything.

It had been a week since the fight in the main library. You’ve been since on probation, having to stay away from trouble and everyone else. You’re lucky – most of the football team are losing the credit them being on the team lends, or, their position on the team. Fandral has narrowly escaped academic expulsion, his family lawyer descending at the last minute to scoop him up and transfer him halfway across the country.

While you’d like him to be brought to justice, you’re just as glad it’s all over. That he’s gone, and you can finally begin to truly focus on your degree (and your new boyfriend). It’s awkward, to say the least, that you’re seeing Thor still, but since he and Jane have been together, you can’t see any of the negative features he used to broadcast. They’re good together; she’s good for him.

“You’re daydreaming again,” his breath is hot against your neck.

You glance to Loki. You’re sitting on the couch while Clint and Vision play Mario Kart in Nat’s dorm, and while she’s flipping through her textbooks with Wanda, you’re supposed to be cheering for Clint’s losing streak.

“Huh?” you breath.

He chuckles. “I love you,” he breathes, nudging your face with his nose, kissing your cheek. “How did I get so lucky to be with you?”

You lay your head upon his shoulder. “Well,” you begin, watching as Vision zooms ahead, playing as Yoshi, “It began at a restaurant, and we ate agnolotti…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _La Fin_

**Author's Note:**

> If you have any requests, find me on Tumblr at @susiephalange, or [@phalangewrites](https://phalangewrites.tumblr.com/request_conditions) ʕ·ᴥ·ʔ✿


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